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“But dad!” Christopher whines.
“No. Not going to happen.”
Eddie’s words are laced with enough annoyance that Buck considers turning around and walking right back out the door he just bypassed. Then he hears no more complaints, so he keeps walking and peaks around the corner into the kitchen. Christopher is at the table scrolling rapidly on the tablet in front of him while Eddie stands at the sink, washing the dishes Buck assumes are left over from dinner.
It’s a good thing he came when he did, though, because Christopher huffs from his seat and Eddie turns, soap bubbles dripping to the floor from clenched fists. When he notices Buck, he visibly relaxes and Buck tries not to think too much about it.
“What kind of teenage angst have I walked into? And does it help that I brought chocolate-filled puff pastry?”
“Yes!” Christopher shouts.
“No!” Eddie practically huffs.
Buck’s eyes dash between the two of them who have apparently decided that glaring at each other is more important than the pastries Buck has brought. He sighs and places the basket on the table before pulling out one of the chairs opposite Christopher.
“Sit,” he directs Eddie–who follows immediately. He takes a seat between them and laces his fingers together on the table. “Now, what’s going on?”
“Nothing!” Chris says, panicked.
“Not nothing!” Eddie accuses. Another round of traitorous glares pass between them before Eddie continues. “Christopher here is doing a project on Ben Franklin. You know, the guy who discovered electricity.”
“Well, he didn’t exactly discover it, more like explained it, but…” Buck trails off as Eddie’s glare moves from Chris to him. “Okay, so Ben Franklin. Not quite sure what he’s done to warrant the tension…”
“Chris, why don’t you tell Buck the idea that you had,” Eddie urges.
“It wasn’t exactly my idea…” It’s Chris’ turn to stop himself from finishing his sentence when Eddie raises his eyebrows and crosses his arms–his ‘I mean business’ pose as Buck knows it. “Okay, well, when I mentioned to my friends that I was assigned Ben Franklin for our historical figure project, they said that it’d be–which I wanna start by saying I don’t agree with it, by the way, and I told dad that–”
“Buddy, what am I missing here?” Buck asks.
“They thought it’d be funny to have you come in as Ben Franklin,” Chris finishes in mumbles, eyes so focused on the floor, Buck thinks he might be trying to see into the foundation of the house.
Buck snorts. He can’t stop himself. He clutches his hands over his chest and positively cackles. He’s only partially silenced by a smack to his arm from Eddie.
“And he wanted me to ask you!” Eddie adds, like that aspect is the most audacious.
“He likes you more!” Chris argues.
“I’m sure he will now!” Eddie shoots back.
“Will both of you stop?!” Buck interjects. Both boys close their mouths and look over at Buck, identical expressions of guilt on their faces. “Chris, you’re aware of why your dad is upset, yeah?”
Chris nods. “I know, I know. It’s insensitive. But–”
“No buts, Christopher!” Eddie interrupts. This time, Buck nudges his arm to quiet him.
“And Eddie, you have to know how objectively hilarious this ask is, right?”
“Buck,” Eddie sighs. Buck tilts his head, urging Eddie to agree with him. “Alright, fine,” Eddie grumbles.
“Eddie, you raised a hilarious kid, and Chris, you’re crazy if you think I like your dad better than you.”
“Hey!” Eddie scoffs, pushing at Buck’s shoulder good-naturedly.
“So, can we eat some of these delicious desserts I made and put a pin in the Ben Franklin conversation?” Buck suggests.
“Don’t you mean ‘key’?” Chris adds with barely contained laughter.
Buck glances at Eddie, ready to stop him from chastising his son for yet another Ben Franklin joke, but instead, Eddie cracks up beside him. Buck can’t help but follow right along.